Hog Blog Book Review – Wild Pigs in the US
I just finished reading a great, and very informative book by one of the foremost wild pig researchers in this country, John Mayer, along with Lehr Brisbin. The book, entitled Wild Pigs in the United States, Their History, Comparative Morphology, and Current Status, was sent to me by the PR folks representing the University of Georgia Press.
I asked for the copy in part to serve my hunger for more scientific information about these great animals, and also to see if the authors were able to resolve one of the biggest arguments in hog hunting… how to tell a Eurasian boar hybrid from a plain, old, feral hog. My objectives were, by and large, met within the pages of the book.
There are some scientists out there who truly write like gifted novelists. Their prose is tight, reasonably colorful, and involving. Their work flows like great fiction, and you come away both fulfilled and educated.
Mayer and Brisbin are not in that category. These scientists write like… well… like scientists. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, except that the reading gets really dry. I was definitely educated by the time I finished, but some of the book was really a chore to get through. The morphology section, in particular, goes rapidly over the head of the non-taxonomists in the audience as well, and left me reeling for my old college textbooks.
Literary criticism aside, though, this book was full of great stuff!
The History section breaks down the origins of the first hogs in the U.S. (Hawaii was first, of course, with the introduction of pigs by the Polynesian settlers around 750AD), and then follows with the history of introductions of the Eurasian wild boar. I thought I knew a little about all of this, but the level of detail challenged a few preconceptions and added depth to my knowledge. For example, I knew that hogs were traditionally raised free-range by the earlier farmers, and the escapees formed the foundation of many populations of feral pigs, but I didn’t realize how widespread the practice was.
I also learned more about the spread of swine by the Spanish explorers as they trucked it across the lower section of the country (Florida to Mexico and CA). Basically, the pigs have been here as long as the Europeans (and longer in Hawaii).
The other thing I didn’t realize was the extent of stocking efforts, both of Euros and ferals, by several state game and wildlife agencies, including FL, TN, MS, NC, and GA. I found this a little ironic in light of the current state of affairs.
This section was probably the most rewarding to me, personally, and I think the book would be worth owning simply for these chapters. I’d have loved more anecdotal reports and stories, though, just to colorize the data, but that’s really not what I think the authors were trying to accomplish.
I mentioned the Comparative Morphology section a moment ago. As I said, this part receives a thorough scientific treatment. For those with a research bent, who understand statistics, taxonomy, and some basic animal physiology, the majority of these chapters will probably provide some great insight. I consider myself barely above layman in these things, and had to rely on the summaries for the most part. After a little while, though, I was able to start making sense of the charts and diagrams.
What I took away from the morphology discussion largely reinforced what I thought I already knew. The vast majority of wild hogs in this country are feral hogs, descendants of domesticated swine with no “true wild boar” in their modern heritage. The remainders of the wild-living hogs are hybrid crosses between released or escaped Eurasian wild boar and the ferals.
The book solidifies something I’ve stated before… that you should be suspicious of any outfitter or guide who claims to be hunting free-ranging Eurasian (so-called “Russian”) boar. True, there are a couple of small, isolated populations of true Eurasian stock in a couple of parts of the country, but in places like CA, TX, and FL, your odds are that you’ll be hunting hybrids or ferals. Not that you should turn up your nose at the prospect of a hybrid or feral hunt, but don’t pay extra to hunt something that probably doesn’t exist in the wild. The only true “Euros” you’re likely to find in the majority of the US are inside high-fence operations (or recently escaped).
When it comes to telling the difference between Euro, hybrid, and feral, things got a little more complicated. Mayer and Brisbin did a great job helping me understand that there are a few key traits to go by, but none of them alone are sufficient to make the call. Coloration, both of neonates and adults is an indicator, as is the shape of the skull, and the length and curvature of the snout. Only the pure Euro stays fairly consistent, with hybrids and ferals offering significant variety.
Finally, the book looks into the current status of wild hogs in the United States. Here’s where things got interesting, but it’s also an area that I felt missed the boat.
The research quoted in the book is about 20 years old (or older), with the most recent data coming in around 1988 and 89. Things have changed a lot since then, with a population explosion that Mayer termed in later papers, “The Hog Bomb”. It was interesting for me to see the difference between the distributions of wild hogs plotted on a 1988 map in the book, contrasted with current distribution maps. At the time of the research, for example, viable populations of wild hogs were reported in about 18 or 19 states. Current estimates have them in about 39 states, and anticipated to be present in all 50 states within the relatively near future.
Overall, it’s a really good read if you’re up for the dry, scientific nature of the work. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the wild hogs on an “authoritative” level.
It is not a hunting book, and really doesn’t offer any information to the casual hog hunter such as habits and traits that would make you a better hunter. If that’s what you’re after, then you’re gonna want to keep looking. There are some on the market, but I haven’t had a chance (or the budget) to review them.
It is definitely interesting to find out that certain states introduced hogs into their area…….especially with the current state of affairs, and knowing how destructive they can be. Apparently no one knew these little tidbits back then.
A very informative article. It sounds like the book is pretty informative too. But I think I’ll take your word for it, since you already said how dryly the book is written.
September 15th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I sat down to dinner with Dr. Brisbin back when Bob Stevens case first started as “Bris” (That is how he likes to be addressed) was one of the other expert witnesses there in Pennsylvania on Bob’s behalf.
The man possesses a wealth of knowledge and was very intriguing to listen to, notice I say “Listen” to.
Liked him just the same though!
You could not get a word in edgewise
September 18th, 2009 at 2:42 am
I’d love to sit down at the table with Brisbin and Mayer, even if I never got to speak a word… just to listen to them talk about pigs.
By the way, Michael, this is the book I was telling you about the other night. Definitely some really good information!
September 18th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Yes, I have to find my copy in this mess I have here and brief up on it!
Bris gave me and Bob a copy awhile back and I just clean forgot about it, I have to get that book case which I have been threatening to get all these years.
Ruth Heyser (Holly’s mom) will be finished with the other skull work for the opposite book end compliment to the bear skull she completed for me earlier this year!
September 18th, 2009 at 8:32 am